Peanut butter is a common flavor in treats, including candy bars. It is perhaps most famously featured in a variety of Reese’s products and Butterfinger candy bars. The latter is often compared to another classic peanut butter candy you may be less familiar with: the Chick-O-Stick.
The Chick-O-Stick and Butterfinger candy bars have a similar taste since both are a flaky, crunchy candy with a peanut butter core. However, while a Butterfinger bar is coated in chocolate, a Chick-O-Stick is covered in toasted coconut flakes. This means that while the primary flavor in both treats is peanut butter, the tastes are still quite distinct. In addition, while a Butterfinger bar is in a traditional candy bar shape, a Chick-O-Stick is long and tube-shaped. Butterfinger products are not vegan, as they include milk in the chocolatey coating. Chick-O-Stick candies lack this ingredient, making them a great substitute for lactose intolerant or vegan candy lovers who enjoy the taste of Butterfinger.
The history of the Chick-O-Stick
While some may assume the Chick-O-Stick is the less popular precursor to the Butterfinger bar in the same way that Hydrox cookies were overtaken by Oreos, Butterfinger bars predate Chick-O-Sticks by a number of years. The former was introduced in 1923, while the latter appeared some time in the 1930s under the original name “Chicken Bones.” This name was changed in 1955 and the chicken on the original packaging was removed so that consumers would not think the treat had a chicken flavoring to it.
Chick-O-Sticks are often seen as a nostalgic candy today, and this reputation has existed for quite a long time. Articles as far back as the 1990s included the candy in descriptions of a bygone era, and its longevity has been part of its appeal over the course of multiple generations. Many people’s perception of the candy’s taste is likely affected by this nostalgic connotation.
Perhaps to try and shake this archaic reputation, the creators of the Chick-O-Stick, Atkinson Candy, sought to remove artificial ingredients from the candy’s formula in 2019. Marketing director Sarah Atkinson told KTRE 9, “Over the past couple of years, we’ve been more conscious about the ingredients that we’re using to make the candies.” This meant replacing the artificial coloring with turmeric and vegetable juice to create the candy’s iconic orange hue. In a world where organic products are becoming more and more popular, the change was certainly prudent.
